Misconceptions About Hinduism: Debunked

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Hinduism is one of the oldest religion of the world. Naturally, it has been a subject of criticism since centuries. People have attributed the religion to some malpractices which have been carried out for years due to cultural changes and hegemony of castes. But this is far from the actual truth.

Hinduism happens to be one of the most tolerant and peaceful religion of the world. People have interpreted and misinterpreted it in various ways which has led to the building of misconceptions about Hinduism in our minds. This misconception has further been increased because of the books written by Western scholars who have intentionally or unintentionally failed to capture the essence of the religion. This has happened mainly because the Western scholars have tried to interpret a few concepts of Hinduism from their Western understanding of religion. This has created a lot of confusions and misconceptions regarding Hinduism.

WHY HINDUS DO NOT EAT BEEF?

But when one looks at the Hindu religion and its concepts from its own perspective and the way it is meant to be, we find Hinduism is totally different from what we have all thought it be, all this while. Read on to find out a few of these misconceptions about Hinduism.

1. Hinduism Is A Religion?

Hinduism is not a religion. It is a way of life. It is a Dharma and Dharma doesn't mean religion in its true sense. Dharma is the law which governs your actions. Since Hinduism was not propagated by any one person, it does not have the set of doctrines and doesn't require followers to accept it or make it popular. In fact the word Hindu comes from the people who were settled in the area of the Sindh. The Persians named the people of Sidh as Hindus. Hinduism in fact, is a mixture of various beliefs, philosophical and cultural ideas.

2. Hindus Have 33 Crore Gods

This is one of the most popular misconceptions about Hinduism. Vedas refer to 33 'koti' Gods. The word 'Koti' has been referred to as being supreme or of excellent category (same as uccha koti or nimna koti). Koti here does not mean crore. So, we have 33 supreme deities according to scriptures ( 8 Vasus + 11 Rudras + 12 Adityas + 2 Heaven and Earth = 33 Gods)

3. Hinduism Advocates Caste System

Hinduism as we said is a way of life and it definitely does not advocate a discriminatory system like caste. Caste system originated from the ancient Varna system which divided the society based on occupational practices. As the hegemony of any one particular Varna started to gain momentum, the discriminatory system of caste came into existence. The Hindu religion has never advocated any such system since its inception.

4. Hinduism Propagates Idol Worship

Idol worship has been an integral part of Hinduism. Vedanta envisages that idol worship is only the lowest or the first stage of realising God. An idol is the physical image of the Divine. It helps human beings to concentrate and move on to the next stage of realising God. From the worship of the idol, the person moves to the next stage of mental prayers and then to the last stage when he finally realises the Divine. Idols are just a means to an end. The idol is a visible support, a reminder of God that helps the person to pray with concentration in the initial stages.

5. Hindus Worship Cows

According to the sage Veda Vyasa who wrote the Mahabharata, the cow is symbolic of the maternal qualities of the planet earth. The cow represents a great deal of sacrifice, for it is seen in Hinduism as giving everything and taking only water and grass in return. It gives milk, butter, cheese, curd and scores of other milk products. Because cow is a useful animal, the idea of worshipping it came into existence. By worshipping the cow we actually make sure that the species don't get endangered in the near future.

6. Karma Is A Hypothetical Concept

The idea of Karma or that each person's action has its equal reaction has been seen as a hypothetical concept. But more and more people have realised the idea of Karma and how it chases you throughout your life. Thus, Karma is a very much practical concept to which every one can relate to.